Conservative commentators have made much of a recent Pew survey showing that public reaction to Obama has been more polarized than to any previous president: Democrats really like him, and Republicans really dislike him.
But the poll's most striking statistic was how few Americans now self-identify as Republicans. For the past year it has hovered around 24 percent, the lowest in three decades.
It's not so much that the Republican base has shrunk, as Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz points out in a recent essay: the Democratic base has expanded. When Bill Clinton was elected in 1992, the Democratic base was 30 percent of the electorate; swing voters were 43 percent and Republicans 27 percent. Last year Democrats made up 41 percent; swing voters dropped to 32 percent and Republicans stayed put at 27 percent
Globalization, immigration, more working women and college graduates—all these have changed America over the past two decades.
In a detailed study for the liberal think tank the Center for American Progress, Ruy Teixeira and John Halpin point out that 67 percent of Americans now think favorably of the term "progressive," a 25 point increase in five years
30 April, 2009
26 April, 2009
Obama report card
Barack Obama's performance in the first 100 days of his presidency draws strong public approval in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Obama's overall rating remains high, with 69 percent of Americans approving of his job performance.
He gets solid marks for his handling of the economy, maintaining a better-than-2-to-1 advantage over congressional Republicans on the issue. Majorities said that Obama has exceeded their expectations in his first three months in office, has accomplished big things and has kept his main campaign promises.
Two-thirds of those polled approve of how Obama is handling international affairs in general, up slightly from last month, just before he embarked on his first European trip.
Majorities of Americans also approve of how he is handling health care, global warming, taxes and Cuba, four areas in which the administration has tried to stake new ground in its first few months.
Obama's overall rating remains high, with 69 percent of Americans approving of his job performance.
He gets solid marks for his handling of the economy, maintaining a better-than-2-to-1 advantage over congressional Republicans on the issue. Majorities said that Obama has exceeded their expectations in his first three months in office, has accomplished big things and has kept his main campaign promises.
Two-thirds of those polled approve of how Obama is handling international affairs in general, up slightly from last month, just before he embarked on his first European trip.
Majorities of Americans also approve of how he is handling health care, global warming, taxes and Cuba, four areas in which the administration has tried to stake new ground in its first few months.
22 April, 2009
lies about President Obama
There's an email whipping around the internet, supposedly written by a Navy SEAL who complains that President Obama delayed decisions to deploy the Navy SEALs because he wanted to resolve the hostage standoff with Captain Richard Phillips "peacefully."
There's enough background detail in the email to suggest it was in fact written by a SEAL, but several senior military officials who were involved in the direct planning and execution of the mission -- including in consultations with the White House and President Obama -- tell NBC News the claims are bogus.
Two senior military officials who talked to NBC about this both said essentially they have no reason to carry President Obama's water on this, but that he and the White House responded quickly and positively to the military's request.
Given some of the details included in the email, military officials say it could very well have come from a "disgruntled" Navy SEAL who had no idea what the White House and senior commanders were planning or executing.
In addition, the email was originally passed around by a former admiral who retired in 1982 who told Navy officials he doesn’t know any Navy SEALS and has no idea where the original email came from.
There is a connection to the false email about Obama's treatment of the US soldiers during the 2008 campaign when then candidate Obama visited Afghanistan. There was also a email campaign to stated that Obama did not want to play basketball with soldier...... another lie republican lie.
Shame on the republicans for trying to politicize the military. It was just a minor thing when Obama was just a Senator but now he is C-I-C and to undermine him is actually a threat to the security of the nation. These are the same people who think that the answer to losing an election is succeeding from the union.
There's enough background detail in the email to suggest it was in fact written by a SEAL, but several senior military officials who were involved in the direct planning and execution of the mission -- including in consultations with the White House and President Obama -- tell NBC News the claims are bogus.
Two senior military officials who talked to NBC about this both said essentially they have no reason to carry President Obama's water on this, but that he and the White House responded quickly and positively to the military's request.
Given some of the details included in the email, military officials say it could very well have come from a "disgruntled" Navy SEAL who had no idea what the White House and senior commanders were planning or executing.
In addition, the email was originally passed around by a former admiral who retired in 1982 who told Navy officials he doesn’t know any Navy SEALS and has no idea where the original email came from.
There is a connection to the false email about Obama's treatment of the US soldiers during the 2008 campaign when then candidate Obama visited Afghanistan. There was also a email campaign to stated that Obama did not want to play basketball with soldier...... another lie republican lie.
Shame on the republicans for trying to politicize the military. It was just a minor thing when Obama was just a Senator but now he is C-I-C and to undermine him is actually a threat to the security of the nation. These are the same people who think that the answer to losing an election is succeeding from the union.
12 April, 2009
Arizona / ASU hypocrisy
Recent recipients of honorary degrees at ASU include Wu Qidi, vice minister of education of the People's Republic of China and they say that they don't award honorary degrees to sitting politicians.
Rubbish! A President gives prestige to a University when he speaks at their Commencement. President Obama should not speak there.
Rubbish! A President gives prestige to a University when he speaks at their Commencement. President Obama should not speak there.
10 April, 2009
the new Republicans
Gates is unapologetic about cutting back on big-ticket items such as the Army's Future Combat Systems. The program's lightly armored vehicles, he notes, have 18-inch clearances and flat bottoms -- perfect targets for roadside explosives. On the other hand, Gates's missile defense cuts are relatively small.
Republicans want to polarize the budget debate. For example, the Obama administration, according to Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) is "willing to sacrifice the lives of American military men and women for the sake of domestic programs favored by President Obama."
In this case, the charge rings with irresponsibility and outright lies. While the total defense budget will be larger in a time of war, it focuses resources and attention precisely where they are most needed: on our war fighters. Eisenhower, who was my first vote for President, warned of the "military industrial complex."
Republicans want to polarize the budget debate. For example, the Obama administration, according to Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) is "willing to sacrifice the lives of American military men and women for the sake of domestic programs favored by President Obama."
In this case, the charge rings with irresponsibility and outright lies. While the total defense budget will be larger in a time of war, it focuses resources and attention precisely where they are most needed: on our war fighters. Eisenhower, who was my first vote for President, warned of the "military industrial complex."
08 April, 2009
Bush-Pres. Obama difference
It appears to me that President Obama is about first going after and isolating the Bin Laden group , the people who attached us, which is what we should have done instead of getting bogged down in Iraq killing millions of civilians and 4,000 of our troops trying to get Iraqi oil.
I believe all that was due to Cheney, the Darth Vadar of the 21st century, who saw that Iraq was weak and there was money to be made by interupting the oil flow from Iraq.
We are going to be lucky if we don't have more to pay for that. We need to attack those who attacked us. I thought this from the beginning, so did lots of people. They just got scared into it by Bush-Cheney and their lackeys spreading a fear of WMD.
That was what the Wilson/Plame affair revealed. Whoever thinks that Scooter Libby outed Wilson's wife without Cheney is a fool. It defies logic and common sense.
I believe all that was due to Cheney, the Darth Vadar of the 21st century, who saw that Iraq was weak and there was money to be made by interupting the oil flow from Iraq.
We are going to be lucky if we don't have more to pay for that. We need to attack those who attacked us. I thought this from the beginning, so did lots of people. They just got scared into it by Bush-Cheney and their lackeys spreading a fear of WMD.
That was what the Wilson/Plame affair revealed. Whoever thinks that Scooter Libby outed Wilson's wife without Cheney is a fool. It defies logic and common sense.
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